


El Libro De La Vida

by starwrite_er



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: BB-8 is Chuy, Book Of Life!AU, F/M, Kylo is Joaquin, Poe is Manolo, Reader is Maria, was a request but whoops it turned into a full story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-02-05
Packaged: 2018-09-20 08:09:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9482237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starwrite_er/pseuds/starwrite_er
Summary: "Request: The book of life au where poe is manolo and kylo is joaquin. Reader of course is maria and bb8 can be chuy. Someone please write this."Welcome to the museum. You're not like the other visitors we get; you're special.So, shall I tell you the story of the greatest wager in history?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: that wasn't really a request but somebody on anon sent it to @fandom-writes asking for someone to write it so here it is lmao anyway if u haven't seen The Book Of Life then I 100% recommend it go watch it now it's on netflix. uhhh endgame relationship here is pretty obvious if u've seen the movie. Obvs various character roles and stuff have been altered for the Purpose™ of this fic. ALSO THIS WAS JUST GONNA BE A FUN LITTLE THING BUT AHAH??? WHOOPS???? IT GOT IN DEPTH™
> 
> A More Important Note: Of course, Día De Los Muertos is a very important holiday, and if I have said anything at all in this story that could in anyway insult or offend anyone or the original story, please tell me so I can make necessary changes.

_"This is the Book of Life."_

_"All the world is made of stories, and all of those stories are right here."_

_"Long ago, in the center of Mexico, was the quaint little town of San Angel."_

_"And naturally, directly below it lay the Land of the Remembered, a festive and magic place for those who lived on in the memories of their loved ones!"_

_"And below that lies the Land of the Forgotten. The sad and lonely destination for those poor souls who are no longer remembered."_

_"But, before I can properly begin this story, you must meet the magical rulers of these two realms."_

_"That is La Muerte. She is made out of sweet sugar candy. She loves all mankind, and believes their hearts are pure and true."_

_"And that is Xibalba. That charming rascal thinks mankind is not so pure, just like him. He's made out of tar and everything icky in the whole world."_

_"And that is the Candlemaker. He keeps everything in balance. He is made out of wax and has a beard full of clouds."_

_"See all these wooden figures here? They represent real people in our story, just like you and me."_

_"And so our story begins, on the day that the people of Mexico call the Day of the Dead, and on this particular Day of the Dead, after centuries of being banished, Xibalba had had enough."_

Perched on the rooftops, Xibalba and La Muerta watch as the people of San Angel celebrate the Day of the Dead, spying for the subjects of their newest wager after Xibalba had made the mistake of complaining about the land he rules.

"Ah, look there, my love. A classic mortal dilemma," The dark creature known as Xibalba points to three children. "Two boys. Best friends, no less."

"Oh, in love with the same girl." The beautiful La Muerta finishes, catching sight of a young soldier, a young guitarist, and a young maiden.

"I believe we have our wager. Which boy will marry her?" Xibalba decides, his choice already in mind.

"Very well. We will each choose one of those boys as our champion." La Muerta continues. Floating down from the rooftops, the pair transform into more unsuspecting figures.

"Well, let's go wish them luck." Xibalba says, disguised as an old man, taking the arm of La Muerta, disguised as an old woman covered by a shawl.

As the children subjected to this wager part ways to find the grave of their ancestors, the two rulers of this festive day also part ways, seeking out their champion.

"Kind people, may I please have a bit of your bread? I am so hungry." La Muerta hobbles over to the grave of Shara Bey. Gathered around is the Dameron family, a family of well known bullfighters, though the heart of the youngest can be found elsewhere. The family take notice of the old woman, Kes watching his son waste no time in aiding the woman.

"I'm sure Mama would want you to have it," The young Poe Dameron says, smiling kindly at the woman as he offers her a loaf of bread. The boy, La Muerta's chosen champion, turns to his father. "Right, Papa?" Kes Dameron smiles and nods, reassuring the boy.

"Thank you, my dear. In return, you have my blessing," The disguised ruler of the Land of the Remembered tells the young Poe, her words holding more weight than one might know. "May your heart be always pure and courageous."

"What do we say, Poe?" Kes prompts his son.

"Thank you, señora. Thank you." The sweet boy says. Distanced from the grave of the late Shara Bey stands the young Ben Solo, watching his friend.

"Oh, Poe. Always giving stuff away for free," He says, shaking his head before turning to the extravagant grave he honours. This boy does not have the same humility that his best friend does. "Right, Grandfather?"

A dark laugh echoes through the walls of the tomb, alerting the young Ben Solo of an intruder. Though his morals may be questionable, his desire to prove himself pushes him forth into the darkness, leaving him at the mercy of whoever lurks there. A child, after all, cannot defend themselves when armed only with a wooden sword.

"Young sir, may I please have some of your bread? I'm so hungry." An old man comes forth from the shadows, causing Ben to stumble backwards in surprise and fear. This man is Xibalba, approaching with the same request as his love. Ben Solo, however, quickly regains his composure, and with it comes the sense of entitlement.

"This bread is for my grandfather," He says, mocking the old man as he stabs a loaf with his fake sword, taking a bite. "And it's _delicious_."

"Well, perhaps you would consider a trade?" Xibalba offers despite knowing that cheating like this would enrage La Muerta. Oh well. He'll do whatever it takes for his chosen champion to win. The ruler of the Land of the Forgotten reveals a medal, glowing faintly with an eerie, green magic. Ben Solo, however, is unimpressed, having seen something such as that many times before. "This is no ordinary medal, my boy. As long as you wear it, you cannot be hurt, and it will give you immeasurable courage. But, keep it hidden. There is a bandit king that will stop at _nothing_ to get it back." Ben's greed and desire drives him to snatch the medal from the man's hands, tossing him the half eaten loaf of bread in return.

Ben gasps in recognition at the mention of a bandit king, but when he turns to face the man again, he has vanished, leaving nothing but a sinister laugh lost in the wind.

Returning to the rooftop of the tall tower, Xibalba joins the waiting La Muerta, believing that his deviousness has ensured him his victory.

"So, if my boy marries the girl, I will finally rule the Land of the Remembered." Xibalba finalises his terms, returned to his unearthly form.

"And if my boy marries the girl, _you_ will..." La Muerta pauses, stroking her love's cheek and smiling as sweetly as the sugar she's made of. But this ethereal woman has not forgotten the past, and she pulls harshly on Xibalba's beard, her glare made of daggers. "You will stop interfering with the affairs of man!"

Though Xibalba protests this, at the thought of returning to eternity in the Land of the Forgotten, he accept's his love's terms. "Very well, my dear. By the ancient rules, the wager is set."

And illuminated by the light of the moon and the candle-lit graves, the pair of gods shook hands.

_"And so the greatest wager in history began: Poe versus Ben for the hand of Y/N."_


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Kylo Ren has way more honour and decency in this fic than he does in the actual movies ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ also Kes isn't much like Manolo's father but idk lmao what can you do

"Freedom is coming through!"

You see, the young Y/N, though she was just and kind, did not yet fully grasp the concept of just when to stop fighting for what she believed in. This got her, along with Poe and Ben, in much trouble. The final straw was when she let loose the pigs that were to be sent to be slaughtered. They ran throughout the town of San Angel, and though this event revealed the power of the medal Ben had recieved from Xibalba, along with demonstrating Poe's natural gift for bullfighting, it came at a cost. Poe began to be groomed for the life of a bullfighter like his ancestors before him, though his passion lay with the music he made. Ben began to be groomed for the life of a soldier, favoured by the General, who was coincidentally also Y/N's father. But the young Y/N, held responsible for her consistently reckless actions, was punished most harshly, sent to Spain to study at the Covent of the Perpetual Flame of Purity to become a 'proper lady' as her father so wished.

_"And so came the day when the young Y/N would leave to study abroad. The three amigos would be no more."_

She gifted Poe a new guitar to replace the one broken by the pigs, and he gifted her a piglet named Beebee-ate. The young Y/N said her farewells to her dearest friends, Ben and Poe, before boarding the train that would take her to her new home, the promise of waiting for one another hanging in the air.

"Y/N! When you come back, I will sing for you!" A promise made by the young Poe Dameron.

"And I will fight for you!" A promise made by the young Ben Solo.

_"But it would be years before they would see Y/N again."_

* * *

 

_"After years of training, Poe's father organised his first bullfight, which, as luck would have it, was on the day that Y/N returned."_

"My son, Kylo may be the hero of the town, but today, you will be the hero of the ring, if - for once - you actually _finish_ the bull." Kes urges his son, frustrated at Poe's reluctance to do the one thing he wished of him. Referring to Kylo Ren - once known as Ben Solo - was believed by his father to be possibly the only way to spur Poe into motion.

"No. Killing the bull is wrong." Poe defends his beliefs. Kes sighs, disappointed.

"Ay, kids today, with their long hair and their no killing stuff." Poe's grandmother grumbles from the corner of the room.

"I'm outta here." Angry at the dismissal of his family, Poe turns to leave, but is stopped by the guilt his father leaves him with.

"Don't you love your family?" Kes questions, striking the softest part of his son's heart, aiming to get him to honour their ancestors. Poe turns slowly, looking at his father in disbelief at such a low blow. "Then go get that bull, mijo. Don't dishonour our name. Just be a _Dameron_."

With a heaviness in his heart and reluctance in his soul, Poe hands his father his beloved guitar, leaving the house to head for the arena, honouring the family name.

The dark passage leading to the ring is illuminated by the sun. Standing at the entrance to the arena, a familiar face framed by locks of black hair approaches Poe.

_"In honour of Y/N's return from Europe, the town received a rare visit from it's most noble son, who was now a decorated hero."_

"No retreat." Kylo says, referring to their childhood motto.

"No surrender," Poe grins, rushing to meet his childhood friend, no matter how he changed. "The hero of San Angel returns!"

"You didn't think I was going to miss your first little bullfight, did you?" Kylo responds, an underlying tone of self-righteousness in his words.

"And Y/N's here, too!" Poe gestures to the roaring crowd, the grin of his face showing that he has not realised that Kylo did not come for him.

"Have you seen her? I cannot wait to show her my achievements." The taller man asks. The years of training were all done to impressed the young woman that had left the town so many years ago, all done so that for once it would be Poe hidden in the shadows. Kylo, after all, had lived a lonely childhood, and had often felt that Y/N, though she would never agree, preferred the company of Poe.

"Oh, so she's back _only_ to see you," Poe says, the excitement of such a reunion no longer seeping into his voice, though he continues to keep the situation lighthearted with the playful smirk on his face and a raised brow. He's quick to cut off Kylo's denial. "You may have your medals, but _I_ have the bullring. We'll see which Y/N prefers."

"It's a good thing you're finally taking bullfighting seriously." Kylo's bitterness at Poe's words is shown through his response, him clearly being aware of Poe's distaste for the sport.

"You should see me in the bullring; that's where I _really_ do my thing now. A true Dameron man." Poe lies, seizing the chance for the General to finally see him as a suitor for Y/N.

"Those are some big shadows we live under." Kylo speaks up, deciding not to aggravate the competition for now.

"Huge." Poe sighs, a pitiful smile on his face. The trumpets blare, signalling for the event to begin, and the pair of old best friends part ways.

"Hey, brother, may the best man win Y/N." Are the final words Kylo says to Poe, the old Ben Solo seeping through the cracks of his façade. As the crowd cheers his name, Kylo is quick to return to the hero the town knows him as.

It is hard for Poe to ignore the growing envy as Kylo rides around the arena, a hero that townfolk and gods alike cheer for. He weaselled his way to the top, so highly favoured by the General, Y/N's father, that Poe always had a feeling in his gut of inadequacy.

But, speaking of Y/N, a hush falls across the arena.

_"As expected, everyone in town was curious to see how the young Y/N had grown."_

"The jewel of the town has returned!"

"And she's going to be helping at the orphanage."

"I heard she reads books. Like, for _fun_."

And the young woman takes her seat between her father and Kylo on a balcony overlooking the arena, her pet pig following her obediently. The fan she holds, obstructing the view of her face, is lowered.

The crowd erupts into cheers, singing praise for the beauty and grace of Y/N, the jewel of San Angel.

Poe sets his jaw, stepping out into the light, a red cape hung on his shoulder.

"I would like to dedicate this corrida to Miss Y/N Y/L/N," The man announces. His aim was to please the woman, but even at this distance, he can see how she has narrowed her eyes, displeased. "Welcome home, señorita."

The bull breaks through the door of the enclosure, huffing and pawing at the ground. Poe shouts at the bull, waving the red flag with the golden embroidery, taunting the beast. It charges, and he spins away, avoiding the horns of the bull. The crowd cheers, throwing flowers of admiration into the ring. Encouraged by the response, Poe lifts one into the air, an offering for the lovely Miss Y/N. Though she dislikes the sport, the fond smile that graces her lips at the sight of Poe's action does not go unnoticed.

She shouts his name, fearful as she catches sight of the bull charging for Poe, but he leaps into the air, avoiding the horns of death with such grace. The flower he held before drifts back down towards the dusty earth, Poe clamping it in between his teeth, winking at Y/N. She grins as she watches the performance, laughing in awe.

Poe continues to taunt the bull, locked in a dangerous dance as he leads the beast. The dust the creature had kicked up clears, revealing Y/N's name engraved in the ground. The young lady's smile widens as she laughs joyously at the display, the crowd going wild for Poe's antics. The man bows to Y/N, and she hides the faint blush on her face with the fan she holds in her hand. Kylo, although also impressed by his old friend's performance, has the seed of doubt and worry planted as he watches the woman he wishes to marry admire his childhood friend.

Poe approaches his father, who offers him a sword. With the audience chanting his name and his father pleading with him to do it, just this once, Poe takes the sword and prepares to finish the bull.

The crowd watches with bated breath as the bull prepared to charge, the harsh sunlight beaming against the metal of the old sword. Poe takes a breath, preparing himself, but he makes the mistake of looking at the reflection in the blade. Catching a glimpse of the look on Y/N's face, he trusts his gut and makes his decision.

"No," He mumbles, stabbing the sword into the ground. He stands, shouting to the onlookers. "Killing the bull is wrong!"

The crowd gasps. The bull charges past Poe, living a little longer. The townsfolk boo, angry and disappointed.

But above the noise of the disgusted shouts from the crowd, someone applauds Poe's act of defiance.

"Bravo! Bravo!" Y/N calls out, standing as she claps in appreciation of his action. You see, though she forced to study abroad to become the 'proper lady' her father wished her to be, nothing could change Y/N's heart. What she wanted on this day was not for Poe to dedicate the killing of a bull to her, but to once again see the boy that she was close to all those years ago. After all, she was just and kind, and still did not yet fully grasp the concept of just when to stop fighting for what she believed in.


	3. Chapter 2

"Victory!" Xibalba cackles, watching as Poe is left alone in the arena. "That poor kid never had a chance, my dear. Good game, though."

"It's not over." La Muerta says, a small smile on her face and her eyes trained on Poe as he picks up one of the flowers and his guitar from the dusty ground.

"Ay, Y/N... _when you were here before... couldn't look you in the eye..._ " Poe murmurs, strums his guitar softly. He grows louder as he begins to sings. " _You're just like an angel; your skin makes me cry..._ "

Unbeknownst to Poe, Y/N had returned to the balcony overlooking the ring to collect the fan she had left behind. With a sudden burst of passion for the music he was making, the sound of the guitar and Poe's voice fills the arena. The grey clouds that had gathered break apart, a golden ray of sunshine a spotlight on the musician.

" _But I'm a creep! I'm a weirdo. What am I doing here? I don't belong here,_ " Poe's song gets softer as it draws to a close. " _I don't... belong..._ "

"Oh, Poe." Y/N sighs, her hands on her heart as she watches. From inside, she hears her father call for her, and so she takes her leave from the scene.

La Muerta observes, a satisfied smirk on her face as Xibalba's jaw drops in confusion.

"What - what just happened?" Xibabla demands an answer, angry that he could lose the wager.

"You don't know women, my love." La Muerta tells him, stroking his face almost tauntingly. The wager would continue on.

* * *

 

_"That night, General Y/L/N threw a grand party to welcome Y/N back."_

_"But you see, he had bigger plans..."_

"To Kylo! A great hero!" The General toasts the town hero. "Too bad you're just in town for a few days. If only there were something that could make you stay, like a special girl? Eh, Y/N?"

"Papa!" Y/N says through gritted teeth as her father nudges her. The young woman was not so inclined to marrying Kylo as her father wished her to be.

"What? What did I say?" The General defends himself as his daughter glares at him, huffing indignantly.

"Oh, you know my father," Y/N chuckles awkwardly, now speaking to Kylo. "It's so wonderful to see you again, Be- uh, Kylo. Look at that hair, and all those medals! What's this one for?"

Y/N reaches out to touch a medal mostly hidden by a belt. Kylo scrambles out of his chair as he moves to hide the medal given to him all those years ago by Xibalba.

"Nothing! Nothing! I don't - why don't - why don't you -" Kylo regains his composure as everyone looks at him strangely, taken aback by his odd behaviour. He leans on the table smoothly, voice steady. "Why don't _you_ tell me a little more about Europe?"

"Ah, I loved it. Such beautiful music and art and books," Y/N sighs happily at the topic change. "It was wonderful."

"Ah, books, art, wonderfulness. You sound like you've learned so much, Y/N," Kylo repeats, unsure how to continue such a conversation. He takes a seat again. "I'm sure that one day you are going to make a man very, very, very happy; and I hope that that man's hair, or his medals, makes _you_ very, very, very happy."

"Oh! Is that so?" Y/N inquires, seeing clearly the direction this is going in and not liking it. Kylo chuckles at her seemingly playful response.

"Well, yes. Behind every man with amazing hair is a beautiful woman," Y/N gasps quietly, narrowing her eyes at Kylo's words.

"Oh, yes, and I'll cook and clean for him, and be at his beck and call." Y/N puts on a sweet smile, placing her hand on Kylo's arm, playing along. The man hums in agreement.

"That sounds - that sounds so good, and you sound so good, and you're just so pretty." Kylo mumbles, caught up in the moment.

"Are you kidding me?" Y/N snaps, crossing her arms in disgust. General Y/L/N spits out his drink, horrified by the direction this is taking. "Is that how you see a woman? We're only here to make _men_ happy?"

Anger slips into Y/N's voice. The men around the room toast to her words, much to her displeasure. Kylo struggles to find the words to appease her.

"I believe I have lost my appetite. No, please, please, stay seated," Y/N stands to leave, a bitter frown still on her face. "Now, if you will just excuse me, I must go check on Beebee. That's my _pig_." She growls, punching the table lightly, emphasising the word. "I need to spend time with someone _civilised_."

The room is silent as the young woman walks away without a single glance back.


End file.
